Namaste-cation and Bhuddalogy
with Bhante Sujatha of The Blue Lotus Temple and Nancy May of Yoga From the Heart
Returning instructors!
$2595 per person, double occupancy.
$600 surcharge for single occupancy.
May you be well, happy, and peaceful.
When Bhante Sujatha was 10 years old, he told his parents he would throw himself off the bridge into the river below his childhood home in Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, if they did not let him become a monk. Since that time, he’s remained just as certain and determined to live a life dedicated to adding more love to the world and helping people heal their wounded minds.
Bhante has always known he was born to serve humanity and he wakes up everyday committed to this noble cause, teaching meditation and helping people access the deeper parts of themselves so they can feel radiant joy and peaceful happiness. With a single robe and some leftover food, Bhante left his home country and eventually found his way to America, where he learned a new language and culture and discovered the aching desire people have for a more meaningful life.
In a old leaky church basement, Bhante was given a small room to teach meditation. The first night, two people showed up. A decade later, The Blue Lotus Temple is a world-renowned Buddhist temple and meditation center that serves thousands of people locally and even more all over the world, under Bhante’s leadership as abbot and spiritual director.
Bhante weighs in at 85 pounds, and fifth graders often tower of him, but make no mistake: This man is a powerhouse of focus, energy, and determination. Bhante leads more than 380 meditations a year, for which he travels hundreds of thousands of miles, often walking off a plane and onto a podium within minutes. He speaks to colleges and universities across the world, leads small group retreats, and consults with corporate giants, teaching them all that love is the way and peace is a constant practice.
Bhante’s humanitarian work spans the globe and most recently oversaw the re-fitting of five hospitals with significant need. In 2013, Bhante Sujatha was awarded the highest honor within his lineage, as a recognition for the incredible impact he’s made to spreading Buddhism across America, being named the Chief Sanhga Nayaka of North America.
Yoga has been in Nancy May’s life for over 19 years. She began practicing in 1999, learning about yoga by following Cyndi Lee’s OM yoga in a box CD faithfully 6 days a week for two years. She was hooked and moved to California to expand her knowledge and learned from many inspirational teachers. Her favorite yoga instructor is Seane Corn and she has attended Seane’s workshops whenever she can.
Nancy moved back to the Chicago area in 2003 and founded her studio, Yoga From The Heart. She attended yoga teacher training and became certified with the Yoga Alliance in 2005. Nancy has 300+ hours of training. She specialitzes in Hatha Yoga and balancing you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Nancy begins each class by having you set a personal intention, breathing, and meditation. She teaches from the heart and believes yoga is a personal experience for every student. Her wish is that each of you finds a moment of peace during their yoga practice, which is sometimes elusive off the mat with everyone’s hectic lives. Nancy’s style of teaching is very heart-felt and is primarily gentle to all-levels flow. Her students can expect to laugh and relax as they share time on the mat. All students are welcome from beginners to advanced. Nancy is known for her yogalicious savasana! This is the last five minutes of class, in which students lay on their mats and relax to soothing music and her guided mediation. Students leave the class feeling calmer, stronger, physically and mentally. Nancy loves to share her yoga practice in various locations, including yoga studios, homes, schools, corporations, and adult living communities. Her passion for yoga has no bounds. She loves teaching retreats and has hosted 20 in various locations (Illinois, Wisconsin, California, Michigan, Costa Rica, Jamaica and Belize).
Nancy believes yoga is available for everyone and meant to be accessible to everyone at every stage of your life!